Shedding Some Light on TED
When I first started experiencing the symptoms of thyroid eye disease (TED), I was not quite sure what was happening. My eyes were itchy, red, and very watery. I would catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror or a photo and notice that my left eye was bulging. All of this was pretty sporadic at the beginning. But still I was taking mental notes.
As time and my symptoms progressed I also became irritated by light. Sunlight, office light, even the light from the TV is uncomfortable for me. As a result, it has become increasingly more important for me to pay attention to light, and make some adjustments.
Managing light around me to help my symptoms
At work
I recently retired, but while I was still working, I adjusted the backlight on my computer. I asked the maintenance team if they could take a light bulb out of my office overhead lights.
For me, adding window treatments to block out the sunshine was not an option at work, but I was able to reorient my desk and other workspaces so that sunshine streaming in was less off-putting.
If I was in a meeting where the lights or screens were too bright, I would wear my sunglasses. I know that sounds silly, but it had become essential for me to be able to do my job.
Home
At home, I have found it a bit easier to manage the light. There I am in full control of window treatments and lighting. However, what became more difficult was finding things I could do that did not require bright lighting.
I was forced to get creative. For example, it is necessary to have good lighting for cooking. So, I have found that under cabinet lights help illuminate the work surface without shining into my eyes directly.
I enjoy reading. Having a soft overhead light or lamp off to the side, and using a book light to shine directly on the book seems to help me.
Watching TV at night has become a bit of an issue. I find that looking up at the TV mounted on the wall is difficult, but streaming the show onto an iPad on my lap is better. And I can adjust the backlight on that device.
Outdoors
I enjoy walking and other outdoor activities. This means having to deal with sunshine which presents a whole host of new challenges for my eyes. I find that going in and out of sunshine is most disturbing. So when my walking path goes in and out of shade, this is not ideal. Even if I wear my baseball cap and sunglasses, sometimes it is just too much. I have found that walking on paths that are either completely tree lined and shady, or in total sunshine, works best for me. And I always keep my sunglasses and baseball cap at the ready. When my eyes are particularly sensitive to light, I may even choose to wait for a cloudy day to enjoy the outdoors.
Shedding light on managing TED symptoms
Dealing with the symptoms of thyroid eye disease, for me, sometimes means thinking outside the box about maintaining a level of comfort. When light gets in my eyes, finding ways to ease the discomfort can be difficult, but it is so very important. Keeping a quality of life while enduring the symptoms of TED helps me get through.
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